Business leaders demand deferral of workplace safety act

Korea Enterprises Federation Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik and Korea Federation of SMEs Chairman Kim Ki-moon stage a protest with owners of small and medium-sized businesses, in Yeouido, western Seoul, Wednesday. (Yonhap)

Hundreds of businessmen running small and medium-sized companies around the country held a rally at the National Assembly on Wednesday, urging parliament to pass a revision bill to defer the enforcement of a workplace safety act.

Participants in the rally were mainly from 17 business community groups, including the Korea Federation of SMEs, the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise, and the Korea Food Service Industry Association, according to organizers.

Two thousand officials from small and medium-sized construction companies directly affected by the expansion of the workplace safety law also participated in the rally.

“More than 80 percent of small and medium-sized businesses, who are not prepared for the implementation of the act, will face shutdowns and employees will lose their jobs," said an official from the Korea Federation of SMEs.

"We, the business community have issued many statements urging (the government to) grant a grace period for companies, and many representatives of the groups visited the National Assembly several times to ask for more time. But the National Assembly is ignoring the earnest pleas of SMEs," the official added.

“I agree with the objectives of enacting the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, but the scope of responsibility imposed on an employer is so broad and the content is so abstract that no employer will be free from criminal punishment,” said an official from the South Jeolla Province branch of the Construction Association of Korea.

The Serious Accidents Punishment Act expanded to apply to small and medium-sized businesses with 50 employees or less from Jan. 27. In the event of a fatal workplace accident, employers face the possibility of at least one year in prison or fines of up to 1 billion won ($748,000).

The ruling People Power Party suggested that the main opposition Democratic Party pass a revision bill to extend the grace period, but only to one year instead of the two years that business groups have asked for.

“To address the difficulties of small business owners, we suggested passing the revision bill during the plenary session scheduled for Thursday,” Rep. Yun Jae-ok, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, told reporters Tuesday.